After a morning ride and massage members of team Kelly Benefit Strategies were grabbing some lunch and participating in a sponsorship event at the health and wellness expo that was going on along the parkway Saturday afternoon.

Cyclist Ried Mumford says he can’t wait to race and hearing the roar of the crowd particularly on the 17 percent grade climb of the Manayunk Wall.

“When you make that left turn onto the climb you can just hear the crowds and it really is great to see people out there,” says Mumford. “And you hear your named called and have friends on the wall and it really is great.”

Main stage race announcer Michael Aisner has been with the race since the beginning. He says cooperation with the parties involved is top notch. “It’s a great relationship this triangle between sponsors, the event promoters and the actual city itself that is a model for any city in the world.”